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Exposure and Health Impacts Related to Outdoor and Indoor Air...
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Exposure and Health Impacts Related to Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollutants

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Biometeorology and Bioclimatology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2019) | Viewed by 24974

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Haider A. Khwaja

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Environmental Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratory, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
Interests: acid rain; cloud water chemistry; water and human health issues; health impacts of air pollution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental exposures have the most dramatic impacts on human health. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that air pollution from both outdoor and indoor sources has now become the single biggest environmental health risk, accounting for more than 7 million deaths per year worldwide (1 in 8 deaths). The number of deaths is projected to more than double by 2050 if no action is taken. In the last two decades, there has been increasing concern within the international scientific community, political institutions, and policy makers regarding the effects of outdoor and indoor air quality on human health. Outdoor pollutants can emanate from a range of sources including vehicular traffic and industries. Sources of indoor pollutants are from outdoors and some specific indoor sources such as cooking, combustion sources (burning fuels, coal and wood, candles, incense), emissions from building materials and furnishings, heating and cooling systems, humidifiers, products for household cleaning, pets and individuals, and behavior of building occupants (painting). Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) also contributes to the buildup of gas and particle concentrations indoors and affects public health. The impact of outdoor and indoor air pollutants on health may manifest after short-term or long-term exposure episodes. This will depend on several variables such as concentration, dose, toxicity, exposure duration, and the synergic effect of pollutants. The relationship between indoor and outdoor levels are complex. Although progress is being made on the biological mechanisms connecting air pollutants to morbidity and mortality, the link between exposure to air pollutants and adverse health outcomes is not well understood and requires investigation by policy makers and experienced researchers across scientific disciplines. In this Special Issue, we seek to publish innovative papers from multidisciplinary fields investigating the exposure and health impacts related to outdoor and indoor air pollution with an emphasis on gases (i.e., carbon monoxide, ozone, radon), particulate matter and fibers, organic and inorganic contaminants, and biological particles (i.e., bacteria, fungi, and pollen). Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Outdoor and indoor air pollution
  • Source apportionment
  • Biomass combustion
  • Interaction between air quality and human health
  • Exposure assessment
  • Epidemiology
  • ETS
  • Sick building syndrome (SBS)
  • Bioaerosols
  • Indoor air quality in green buildings
  • Policy

Dr. Haider A. Khwaja
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

2 pages, 139 KiB  
Editorial
Exposure and Health Impacts Related to Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollutants
by Haider A. Khwaja
Atmosphere 2021, 12(1), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12010105 - 13 Jan 2021
Viewed by 2315
Abstract
The five papers included in this Special Issue represent a diverse selection of contributions [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exposure and Health Impacts Related to Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollutants)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

19 pages, 1061 KiB  
Article
Methodology for Estimating the Lifelong Exposure to PM2.5 and NO2—The Application to European Population Subgroups
by Naixin Li and Rainer Friedrich
Atmosphere 2019, 10(9), 507; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10090507 - 29 Aug 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3186
Abstract
Health impacts of air pollutants, especially fine particles (PM2.5) and NO2, have been documented worldwide by epidemiological studies. Most of the existing studies utilised the concentration measured at the ambient stations to represent the pollutant inhaled by individuals. However, [...] Read more.
Health impacts of air pollutants, especially fine particles (PM2.5) and NO2, have been documented worldwide by epidemiological studies. Most of the existing studies utilised the concentration measured at the ambient stations to represent the pollutant inhaled by individuals. However, these measurement data are in fact not able to reflect the real concentration a person is exposed to since people spend most of their time indoors and are also affected by indoor sources. The authors developed a probabilistic methodology framework to simulate the lifelong exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 simultaneously for population subgroups that are characterised by a number of indicators such as age, gender and socio-economic status. The methodology framework incorporates the methods for simulating the long-term outdoor air quality, the pollutant concentration in different micro-environments, the time-activity pattern of population subgroups and the retrospective life course trajectories. This approach was applied to the population in the EU27 countries plus Norway and Switzerland and validated with the measurement data from European multi-centre study, EXPOLIS. Results show that the annual average exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 at European level kept increasing from the 1950s to a peak between the 1980s and the 1990s and showed a decrease until 2015 due to the implementation of a series of directives. It is also revealed that the exposure to both pollutants was affected by geographical location, gender and income level. The average annual exposure over the lifetime of an 80-year-old European to PM2.5 and NO2 amounted to 23.86 (95% CI: 2.95–81.86) and 13.49 (95% CI: 1.36–43.84) µg/m3. The application of this methodology provides valuable insights and novel tools for exposure modelling and environmental studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exposure and Health Impacts Related to Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollutants)
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21 pages, 707 KiB  
Article
Current Status, Challenges and Resilient Response to Air Pollution in Urban Subway
by Weiji Zhang, Han Zhao, Ang Zhao, Jiaqiao Lin and Rui Zhou
Atmosphere 2019, 10(8), 472; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10080472 - 16 Aug 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4957
Abstract
Subway air pollution mainly refers to inhalable particulate matter (PM) pollution, organic pollution, and microbial pollution. Based on the investigation and calculation of the existing researches, this paper summarizes the sources of air pollutants, chemical compositions, and driving factors of PM variations in [...] Read more.
Subway air pollution mainly refers to inhalable particulate matter (PM) pollution, organic pollution, and microbial pollution. Based on the investigation and calculation of the existing researches, this paper summarizes the sources of air pollutants, chemical compositions, and driving factors of PM variations in subway. It evaluates the toxicity and health risks of pollutants. In this paper, the problems and challenges during the deployment of air pollution governance are discussed. Results show that the global PM compliance rate of subway is about 30%. Subway air pollution is endogenous, which means that pollutants mainly come from mechanical wear and building materials erosions. Particles are mainly metal particles, black carbon, and floating dust. The health risks of some chemical elements in the subway have reached critical levels. The variations of PM concentrations show spatial-temporal characteristics, which are mainly controlled by train age, brakes types, and environmental control systems. The authors then analyze the dynamics of interactions among government, companies and public during the air pollution governance by adding the following questions: (a) who pays the bill; (b) how to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of policies; (c) how the public moves from risk perception to actions; (d) how to develop clean air technology better so as to ultimately incentivize stakeholders and to facilitate the implementation of subway clean air programme in a resilient mode. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exposure and Health Impacts Related to Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollutants)
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24 pages, 11404 KiB  
Article
Effects of Ground Heating on Ventilation and Pollutant Transport in Three-Dimensional Urban Street Canyons with Unit Aspect Ratio
by Guoyi Jiang, Tingting Hu and Haokai Yang
Atmosphere 2019, 10(5), 286; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10050286 - 21 May 2019
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3669
Abstract
A validated standard k-ε model was used to investigate the effects of ground heating on ventilation and pollutant transport in a three-dimensional (3D) street canyon. Air entered the street canyon from the upper regions of side surfaces and most areas of [...] Read more.
A validated standard k-ε model was used to investigate the effects of ground heating on ventilation and pollutant transport in a three-dimensional (3D) street canyon. Air entered the street canyon from the upper regions of side surfaces and most areas of the top surface and left from the lower regions of side surfaces. Ground heating enhanced the mean flow, ventilation, and turbulence, and facilitated pollutant reduction inside street canyons. The transport patterns in a street canyon that included a pollutant source (PSC) and a target street canyon downstream (TSC) were different. The pollutant did not enter the PSC, and turbulent diffusion dominated pollutant outflow at all boundaries. The pollutant entered the TSC from most regions of the side surfaces and exited from lower regions of the side surfaces and the entire top surface. Air convection dominated pollutant transport at the side surfaces, and its contribution increased significantly with ground temperature; Furthermore, turbulent diffusion dominated pollutant outflow for the top surface, and its contribution increased slightly with ground heating. As revealed by an analysis of both the total pollutant flow rates and air flow rates, although air/pollutant exchange between the TSC and outer space occurred primarily through the side surfaces, the increase in air inflow from the top surface reduced the pollutant concentration inside the street canyon when the ground temperature increased. The top surface played a major role in improving air quality in a 3D environment with ground dispersion. This study supplied valuable suggestions for urban planning strategies. The analyzing method used in this research is helpful for the pollutant transport investigations in urban areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exposure and Health Impacts Related to Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollutants)
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22 pages, 9000 KiB  
Article
Indoor Air Quality and Health in Newly Constructed Apartments in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Surabaya, Indonesia
by Sophia Hildebrandt, Tetsu Kubota, Hanief Ariefman Sani and Usep Surahman
Atmosphere 2019, 10(4), 182; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10040182 - 4 Apr 2019
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6038
Abstract
In times of rapid urbanization, increasing usage of chemicals in buildings, and energy saving measures, the topic of indoor air quality (IAQ) demands reinforced attention. Nevertheless, especially in developing countries with urgent building construction needs, IAQ has hardly been examined. This study investigates [...] Read more.
In times of rapid urbanization, increasing usage of chemicals in buildings, and energy saving measures, the topic of indoor air quality (IAQ) demands reinforced attention. Nevertheless, especially in developing countries with urgent building construction needs, IAQ has hardly been examined. This study investigates the condition of IAQ and health of occupants in newly constructed high-rise apartments in contrast to traditional detached houses (Kampongs) in Surabaya, Indonesia. Information on building attributes, cleaning and ventilation behavior, interior sources, personal characteristics and health, especially multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), was collected through 471 questionnaires. In addition, 76 measurements of TVOCs, formaldehyde and 30 measurements of mold risk were carried out. The results showed that the share of people in apartments with a very suggestive risk of MCS was twice as high as that in Kampongs (17.6% vs. 6.7%). Correlation analysis suggested that for both residential types, health problems, negative smell or perception of IAQ, and higher levels of stress determined higher degrees of MCS. For IAQ, high concentrations of formaldehyde and TVOCs were measured in apartments and corresponded to higher MCS risk, whereas severe mold issues were predicted in Kampongs. This study suggests major shortcomings in the indoor environment in newly constructed apartments for the physical and the mental health of occupants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exposure and Health Impacts Related to Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollutants)
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13 pages, 5602 KiB  
Article
Plum Rain-Season-Oriented Modelling and Intervention of Indoor Humidity with and without Human Occupancy
by Jin Ye, Hua Qian, Xiaohong Zheng and Guoqing Cao
Atmosphere 2019, 10(2), 97; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10020097 - 22 Feb 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4002
Abstract
The plum rain season, caused by precipitation along a persistent stationary Mei-Yu front in East Asia, creates favorable temperatures and relative humidity (RH) for mold growth indoors. This paper investigates the effects of human occupancy on indoor humidity and investigates the [...] Read more.
The plum rain season, caused by precipitation along a persistent stationary Mei-Yu front in East Asia, creates favorable temperatures and relative humidity (RH) for mold growth indoors. This paper investigates the effects of human occupancy on indoor humidity and investigates the efficient RH reduction methods to prevent mold growth in moist climates. The research is carried out based on a case study which compares a family-occupied home and another unoccupied one during typical plum rain season in Nanjing. Firstly, by analyzing the factors that can influence the indoor air RH, this paper develops a comprehensive model to evaluate the efficiency of various RH intervention methods. Secondly, this paper collects the meteorological data in Nanjing at different time scales, from days to hours. Thirdly, a specific case study is carried out based on the model and data. The results show that dehumidification and heating can always reduce RH below the critical value under which the mold growth could be inhibited. However, the effects of ventilation are more sophisticated and depend upon the human occupancy, outdoor air temperature, and air change per hour (ACH). In certain unoccupied cases, the ventilation may be inappropriate and may continuously bring moisture outside into the indoor environment, which has adverse effects on mold suppression. In the occupied cases, the condition changes significantly because the human is deemed as an internal source of heat and moist. Special care should be exercised for occupied ventilation in order to determine the optimal ACH and appropriate outdoor temperatures. Finally, some guidance is given to prevent mold growth in the general area that suffers from the plum rain season. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exposure and Health Impacts Related to Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollutants)
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